Order Small Arms and Equipment
=Infantry Weapons= Pistols and Other Sidearms Webley-Fosberry Semi-Automatic Revolver Historically, the favoured weapons of the Judas Priests were a matched pair of short swords based on the Roman gladius to invoke the imagery of the old Roman Empire. In 1901, the Judas Priests updated their arsenal with an unusual weapon that the Webley and Scott Company began producing that very year. A fully semi-automatic revolver produced in .455 calibre, using one in combat has been described as "an interesting experience." While a commercial failure, generally regarded as too heavy and impractical for use in combat, the Judas Priests took such a shine to the weapons that the Order acquired the blueprints and production equipment, and now continues to produce them for the Judas Priests and other Talon officers as a sidearm. How the Judas Priests manage to use two of them accurately in combat, much less reload them, is something of a mystery outside that esoteric sect. LeMat Revolver (Inferno Pattern) To the rest of the world, the LeMat revolver is little more than a curiosity - a .42 caliber revolver with the unique feature of a secondary barrel that operates as a 16-gauge shotgun. Although the weapon served briefly with the first Confederate States of America during the First American Civil War, this was only an afterthought by its inventor: Dr. Jean LeMat, a French immigrant to the United States who was by turn a surgeon, inventor, and member of the Cult. Although the Order stopped LeMat from an unleashing a devastating plague agent that would have prolonged the Civil War for more than a decade, they were too late to stop the production of his revolver - happily, the production version proved rather less dangerous than the Order's intelligence had indicated. Not so the modern version wielded by the Judas Priests, however. The Inquisition retains the blueprints for LeMat's original design, which although externally indistinguishable from the normal version save by very close inspection indeed, does not fire bullets at all. Instead, these handheld cannons work like miniature thermobaric cannons and have appropriately devastating effects on even the most advanced body armor. Only agents of the Inquisition with the most proven loyalty and disregard for their own lives - namely, a very select few Judas Priests - are granted access to these unholy weapons. Colt Python Swords might be the sidearm of choice for high-ranking officers of the Order, but the Order nevertheless maintains a small armory of pistols for those who would rather bring a gun to a gunfight. Among the Knights Templar, a new favorite is the Colt Python revolver, still hand-fitted for each Templar when they request a pistol to carry into battle. While weak for a handgun on modern battlefields, the Python still packs a nasty punch and can stagger a man or even knock him clear off his feet with a well-aimed shot. Typically, it is the lauded Champions of the Templar who decide that while carrying a sword is good and carrying a gun is good, carrying both is even better, and the Templars have a noted affinity for using pistols in the shield hand. Melee Weapons Greenfield-Pattern Mace Contrary to what a hypothetical observer might think, not all of the Order's melee weapons intended for use in open combat are made of Talon Steel. That material has its wondrous advantages, of course, and among them is its rather light weight. Not all weapons of the Order need to be light, however, and some are quite heavy indeed. Nowhere is this more evident than with the Greenfield-pattern maces of the Order. For centuries, the Greenfield family has passed down the arts of crafting some of the finest weapons in the world to its sons and daughters alike, all in the name of service to the Lord God, and most feared among those weapons are their great flanged maces, each subtly different and forged specifically for their intended user. Uncharacteristically plain in appearance for weapons of the Order, these weapons are traditionally gifted to the Footmen of the Order upon completion of their training, and are often passed down from one generation of holy warriors to the next. These maces might not seem useful weapons on the battlefield, but their ability to strike a man dead in a single blow is no mere rumour, even when the man in question is wearing powered battle armour or is little more than a nervous system guiding a metallic mockery of the human body. Electrified Zweihänder When one first examines this weapon, they see a large sword, 1.35 metres in length. Upon closer examination, one will discover that that is exactly what it is. However, like much of the archaic looking weaponry the Order employs, the Electrified Zweihänder has a number of not immediately apparent modifications that allow it to compete with more modern weapons. Most would be surprised to know that the Electrified Zweihänder is actually meant to be against tanks and other armoured vehicles, rather than infantry, as one might expect. While a simple blade has no way of cutting through steel armour plate, the Electrified Zweihänder has a trick up its sleeve. Hooked up to the blade is a powerful car battery carried in a backpack. With the pull of a trigger, a huge amount of current flows through the a coil of wire around the base of the sharpened blade, electrifying it. Much of the power is dissipated in the form of heat, heating the blade up to red-hot, even white-hot temperatures. The heated blade literally cleaves through metal plate, making it an effective weapon for combating armoured vehicles and tanks. Hit for hit, the Electrified Zweihänder surpasses even Imperial plasma-cutters in terms of damage, though one cannot swing a two handed sword as often as one can fire a plasma-cutter cannon. Sentinel Pattern Sidesword To be a full member of the Order of the Talon, privy to the globe spanning, centuries-old conspiracy, certain requirements must be met. Some of these are logical; unwavering loyalty is a must, as is some way to contribute to the organisation and its mission. However, there are some other, unspoken norms, such as the expectation that every member should be an adherent to some faith, or the one that every member hold at least some proficiency with a melee weapon of some sort. What this melee weapon is tends to vary from user to user, and most of the time are meant to be used only as a last resort. However, for some groups, the melee weapon is the primary weapon. While some might find this foolish, it should be noted that these melee weapons tend to be more advanced than they appear. For example, the Sentinel pattern swords used by Templar Champions are not mere relics, but modern weapons designed to combat modern threats. As with a number of the Order's other weapons, the Sentinel pattern takes advantage of the properties of Talon Steel, and as such they combine the traits of being sharp, durable, and light. In addition, the blade is superheated by ambiaric energy, allowing it to cleave armour and materials it should not be able to. While not a match for the monstrous zweihänders wielded by Fanatics, the weapons of the Templar's Champions are nevertheless potent. Witchhammer "Even to demons, show the mercy of a clean death." So says the Judas creed, and a common status symbol for high-ranking Crimson Cardinals is the Malleus Maleficarum, the Hammer of Witches. More commonly, these weapons are known as Hands of Mercy in reference to the sect's creed, and they are brutally effective weapons against anyone a Cardinal might accuse of being a daemon. A Witchhammer is a war hammer with wiring wrapped around its haft and a compact battery disguised as a ceremonial pommel, using the same technology as the thermal blades of other Order warriors. Like superheated cutting weapons, Witchhammers inflict massive trauma on infantry and can severely damage light vehicles. Rifles and Carbines Martini-Henry At first glance, a Martini-Henry rifle may look like a classy small calibre shotgun. It isn´t. The original version used .577 Martini-Henry black powder rounds, each of them capable of literally stopping an unprotected man dead in his tracks. Since no one uses black powder anymore, the Order’s gunsmiths have enhanced the rifle to allow it to compete with modern firearms. Nitrocellulose is used in place of black powder, while the rifle has been rechambered in .545 calibre to reduce the recoil. Of course, the recoil of the enhanced Martini-Henry is monstrous, given that the new nitrocellulose cartridges are far more powerful than the original black powder ones. When used by a skilled user, acceptable results can be obtained up to 300 meters, and since the rifle is single-shot anyway the shooter is much more aware that every shot counts. Telescopic sights are not used, as they might react badly with the recoil and would require high eye relief. Fortunately, the iron sights are quite sophisticated, with range and drift markings. As a result of the falling block loading mechanism, it is not possible to use magazines with the rifle. Various types of ammunition exist; the most common are incendiary modifications, though armour-piercing and heated ammunition types are also used. Knight-Errants are also known to customise their rifles, typically adding shock-absorbing mechanisms to dampen the recoil. Bows and Crossbows C-11 Punisher and C-13 Scourge Repeating Crossbows Repeating crossbows combine a traditional crossbow design with intricate spring-loaded clockwork mechanisms and an ammunition magazine based off that of a modern rifle. Being made of Talon Steel, the weapon is capable of putting much more force behind each shot than a wood or composite bow. Each bolt it fires is a foot-long hollow armour-piercing steel dart filled with molten lead (an ambiaric heater on the user's belt keeps the lead in each magazine from solidifying). Upon impact with a wall, vehicle, or person, it fragments and sends molten metal and hot shrapnel flying into the target. While a frightening weapon in theory, modern day vehicle and body armour (or Cult or Syndicate battle stimulants) protect the target from most of the damage. However, the sheer kinetic force of a crossbow bolt can often send a man sprawling back as if he was standing in front of a shotgun blast. The current iteration of the repeating crossbow, known to the Order as the C-11 Punisher, has been in service for approximately twenty years and is the standard armament of the Order. However, the recently developed C-13 Scourge incorporates a delicate new firing mechanism and improved magazine feed that together yield a rate of fire approximately double that of the Punisher. Only a handful of the Order's most experienced troops are issued the C-13 for field use while the Order's weaponsmiths work out how to mass-produce the new mechanisms. C-12 Grappling Hook A close cousin of the C-11 Punisher crossbow used by Talon infantry, the C-12 crossbow is a special variant employed primarily by the Order's irregular forces. Unlike a normal crossbow, the C-12 does not fire a quarrel and instead launches a steel grappling hook at tremendous velocity while trailing a steel line anchored to the rear of the crossbow. This line is more than capable of supporting an armored man's weight and a sophisticated clockwork mechanism built into the haft of the crossbow is powerful enough to reel its wielder in. Originally intended for infiltration purposes, the C-12 has found itself more often employed by the less conservative elements of the Order's ground forces to quickly close the distance with armored vehicles and structures. After a few failed attempts to stop this practice, the Order's smiths designed an improved grappling head capable of sticking magnetically to metallic surfaces or digging spring-loaded claws firmly into the most advanced synthetic materials. Razorback-Pattern Composite Longbow The Order of the Talon has been around for a long time, and its history stretches back to before the invention of gunpowder and firearms, when the primary ranged weapons of infantry consisted of bows and arrows. Of course, there are a good many people who would think the Talon nostalgic fools if they knew that the age-old organisation continues to utilise such weapons on the battlefield. However, while the Talon does continue to make use of crossbows and longbows, they are no fools. The modern composite longbows that the Order uses are constructed from modern materials and exploit modern technology to allow them to compete with modern weapons. Talon Steel is used for the longbow’s construction, and polymers for the string, while arrows have ambiarically heated arrowheads made of tungsten, allowing them to pierce even modern body armour. To aid with aiming, most such bows possess mechanical sights. Although most of the Order's longbows are custom-crafted for their user's precise measurements and style, the pattern is known as the Razorback. A variant, which lacks Talon Steel, is one of the most popular high-performance longbows for sport and hunting today. And, as it happens, a consistent profit-maker for the Order through its false front company. The weapon does have its advantages over rifles and modern firearms. Given that the longbow relies on human muscle power to propel its projectiles, it is possible for the same arrow to be reused multiple times. Apart from that, a longbow makes far less noise compared to even a silenced firearm, and can also arc over walls and other obstacles. To use a modern Talon longbow proficiently still continues to require extensive training (as compared to a repeating crossbow), and indeed the users of these weapons must constantly hone their skills on the archery range. The results of this extensive training does pay off, however, as a good Rogue can put a shaft through a target with accuracy that would put other snipers to shame. Grenades Model 24 Firestorm Hand Grenade Produced in the thousands for the Germany Army throughout World War I and for decades afterwards, and instantly recognizable as the "stick grenade" or "potato masher," the Model 24 hand grenade is still in use by the Order of the Talon today. The Global Liberation Army in particular has grown to detest these weapons, as the kind of upper-body strength needed to wear plate mail and use swords in active combat lends itself well to an excellent throwing arm. Most of the Order's stock of Model 24 grenades are of a variant that uses white phosphorous to spectacular incendiary effect. Popularly known within the Order as Firestorm grenades, these weapons are deadly to infantry and can quickly turn a bunker into a funeral pyre. Retributor Grenade Launcher One modern weapon that the Order of the Talon demonstrated unusual innovation in developing was the concept of the underslung grenade launcher to provide additional firepower to infantry in the field. Unlike the rest of the world, which developed the same weapon primarily as a single-shot attachment to assault rifles, the gunsmiths of Palestine instead designed a magazine-fed grenade launcher to be mounted on the Order's heavy weapons, primarily the Impaler thermobaric lance, in order to provide the Order's heavy weapon specialists with anti-infantry firepower as well. The result is the Retributor grenade launcher, a notoriously temperamental device that fires a variant of the ubiquitous Firestorm grenade. Retributors are not beloved by most of the Chamber Militant due to their tendency to jam or fire wildly inaccurately, but they are a common requisition for Crimson Cardinals looking to enhance their destructive capabilities. Flare Grenade Flashbang grenades are a new development in the wider world, first employed by Allied special forces during the war with the Soviet Union. The alchemists of the Order of the Talon, however, have employed such weapons for centuries. While the Order's records on the origin of the flare grenade, as the weapons are known to the Chamber Militant, are cryptic at best, it seems that epistolaries learned of the use of smoke bombs and flash powder by Japanese ninja during the earliest Western expeditions to east Asia and obtained at least one formula by means unknown. The Order's alchemists subsequently refined the formula and married it to their own explosive devices, particularly the Order's stocks of hand mortars. While initially conceived of as a tool for illumination, younger members of the Knights Templar found that flare grenades were also effective for dazzling cultists, making them easy prey for a warrior not only expecting the burst, but conveniently wearing a steel helmet. Flare grenades continue to see use today both as brief spotting flares and as stun grenades. Thunder Grenade A recent addition to the Order's munitions stockpiles is the thunder grenade, a special request by the Knights Templar for a hand-portable version of the mighty thermobaric cannon. While all attempts at forging a thermobaric pistol ended as spectacularly as they did badly, the successful production of a thermobaric hand grenade was judged an acceptable compromise. Little more than one of the ammunition cartridges for a cannon with a pin on one end, thunder grenades are remarkably crude for a weapon of the Order yet effective all the same. Producing thermobaric powder is a delicate process that cannot be rushed without extremely destructive consequences, so only soldiers of amply demonstrated prowess are granted access to the Order's limited supply of these weapons. Heavy Weapons L-13 Impaler Thermobaric Lance At first glance, the thermobaric lance bears a great similarity to the lances used by medieval knights, an awkwardly long, pointed object forged out of the immensely durable Talon Steel. However, that is where the similarities end. The tip of the lance ends in a narrow muzzle, connected by the barrel of the lance to a reaction chamber, which itself is connected by a series of tubes to a pressurised fuel tank containing a quantity of the Order's thermobaric alchemical powder. Unlike a knight's lance, the thermobaric lance is not intended for melee combat. While the lance can be rammed into any infantry that come to close for comfort, the lance's wielders, being on foot, cannot deliver the same impact energy as a knight on horseback. Instead, the thermobaric lance is meant to destroy tanks and aircraft. Most of the work is done within the reaction chamber, a hardened vessel of Talon Steel designed to withstand the heat and pressure of the reactions that constantly take place inside it. Once a copper bolt has been loaded into the barrel, a quantity of thermobaric powder is added to the reaction chamber; a spark plug then ignites the mixture of explosive powder and air inside the reaction chamber, creating a controlled fuel air explosion that melts the copper bolt into a liquid state and forces it out of the lance at supersonic velocities, a deadly squirt of liquid metal that can erode tank grade steel plating through sheer velocity and irresistable heat. Following this, the chamber is then vented to allow fresh air to flow in, following which the chamber is then sealed, a new bolt is loaded into the barrel, and the process is repeated all over again. The resultant weapon is extremely deadly, a lethal anti-tank weapon working on principles not dissimilar to those used by high explosive anti-tank warheads, capable of punching through the thickest of steel armour plates as though they were paper. L-1 Gryphon Hand Mortar Perhaps the oldest firearm in the Order's service, the Gryphon hand mortar was first produced in the Ottoman Empire in the year 1591 as an experiment in providing personal artillery to infantry units. Essentially a muzzle-loading flintlock grenade launcher, the Gryphon is operated by priming the weapon, adding gunpowder, then dropping a lit grenade down the muzzle. Ideally, the hand mortar is then fired before the grenade can explode. Dozens of these weapons were captured by the Order of the Talon's early expeditions into the Holy Land and became popular with the knights for the relatively long-ranged explosive firepower they offered to heavy infantry units. Hand mortars were successfully copied and reproduced by the Order's arsenals in 1607, and kept in service ever since. Only incremental improvements have been made to the Order's stocks of hand mortars since the end of the 16th century, and collectively they have been labelled the Gryphon pattern. Instead, the primary path of development for these weapons has been substantially improving their munitions, greatly reducing the risk of a barrel explosion and adding several types of grenades that can be fired. Modern Order arsenals include a variety of shrapnel, high-explosive, gas, and concussion grenades, but by far the most popular option is a modified Firestorm incendiary grenade, shaped for hand mortar operation and designed to shower a wide area in fire rather than intensely burn a small area. Today, the Gryphon is most commonly carried by the Chevaliers, Lady Maria's students and heirs to the Teutonic Knights, who employ their hand mortars to suppress enemy positions and add a long-range punch to the Order's heavy infantry forces. L-25 Leonardo Thermobaric Cannon The Lords of the Templar orders have traditionally taken to the battlefield with the most heavy (some would say oversized) and powerful weapons of their time, from giant maces and axes to prototype hand cannons. Developed by Templar craftsmen in the late 19th century, the Leonardo is the ultimate extension of that doctrine, a man-portable thermobaric cannon capable of destroying just about anything on the ground. The Leonardo is loaded like an oversized version of a regular firearm. Each black powder cartridge is filled with the Orders' secret alchemical thermobaric powder instead of buckshot or a slug. When fired, the black powder is ignited, propelling the thermobaric powder out of the barrel of the cannon, as well as igniting it. The burning and expanding powder is blasted out of the Leonardo with enough force to melt through steel plates or concrete structures. Needless to say, the weapon immolates men with ease, regardless of body armour. The Leonardo is feared for its horrific effects by all enemies of the Talon. Among Sprawl dwellers, it is referred to as the "Melter" or "Melta", depending on the accent of the speaker. L-28 Redeemer Flamethrower L-30 Rebuke Ambiaric Rifle The Order, by and large, prefers to avoid using ambiaric technology when possible. It is powerful, dangerous, and ill-understood by most in the Order. However, less conventional minds in the Order have always made exceptions when the ends make use of ambiaric force worthwhile, and one result is the Rebuke ambiaric rifle. In sharp contrast to the massive destruction caused by large-scale applications of the technology, such as Soviet Tesla coils and the Order's own Ambiaric Cannon, the ambiaric rifle is, for the most part, a non-lethal weapon. When fired, the ambiaric rifle releases a short-ranged burst of electricity that wreaks havoc on the nervous system of anyone caught in the blast, completely disrupting the body's own electrical currents and essentially "shorting out" the target. Needless to say, victims of the ambiaric rifle typically collapse immediately, and regaining consciousness and motor function takes several agonizing seconds - more than enough time for the Order to secure their new prisoner. Fatalities from the ambiaric rifle are rare but not unheard of, mainly in those with existing heart or nervous system conditions, or those with some new piece of devilry called a pacemaker. =Infantry Equipment= Armour and Other Equipment 'Paladin' Armour Suit In past times, the Templar Lords of the Order of the Talon often rode into battle wearing Talon Steel plate armour and riding on horseback. Today, it is realised by the Talon that horse cavalry are mostly obsolete. Templar Lords still wear suits of Talon Steel into battle, but these suits are different from the ones their predecessors wore. These days, every Lord of the Templar wears a heavy suit of powered armour, one that not only protects them but also increases their strength and speed. Each 'Paladin' suit is a fine example of the Order's masterful craftsmanship and mastery of clockwork and steam, a half ton of Talon Steel, gears and steam boiler. The powered suit offers many advantages over its predecessors; for one, it allows far more armour plating to be mounted than would otherwise be possible, giving its wearer survivability to rival a tank. The steam-powered actuators have some other benefits as well, allowing the Lords to wield greatswords as large as some men or cave in walls with a punch. Layers of heat insulating materials and internal air supply let the Lords survive in the conflagrations they create, and even give them some degree of amphibious capability; while the armour suit is too dense and heavy to float or swim, Templar Lords can simply walk along the bottoms of lakes and rivers, though obviously thermobaric weapons work poorly in this environment. Though the scarcity of Talon Steel and the high level of craftsmanship required to forge one of these suits of armour mean that they are few and far between, when combined with the fearsome weapons that the Templar Lords wield, the Paladin suit makes for an imposing, heavily armed and nigh impossible to kill warrior. 'Bercilak' Armour Suit Insofar as there are enough clockwork armour suits for there to be a standard type, the Paladin is it. There are, however, a number of suits forged in different patterns to serve particular needs of the Order's most honored heroes. One of these patterns is the Bercilak, a design of armour reserved for the exclusive use of the Priests of Judas. Bercilak armour is most notable for the significantly more powerful clockwork servos in the arms, a feature that once let wearers wield two greatswords simultaneously but now sees more use for wielding a heavy melee weapon and an anti-tank firearm simultaneously. As the Judas Priests very rarely employ thermobaric weapons, Bercilak armour also lacks the jumpjets of the Paladin suit and instead further strengthens the leg joints. A Judas Priest - almost always one of the leaders of the Crimson Cardinals - gifted with Bercilak armour may not be able to fly like a Templar, but can jump impressively far and high. One Crimson Cardinal, known to history simply as the Red Angel, discovered during the First World War that this already useful enhancement has a particular benefit in battle: if half a ton of flesh and steel landing on an armoured combat vehicle doesn't destroy it outright, his heavy weapons can finish the job. 'Dragon' Armour Suit Another variation of the Paladin, this one even more heavily armoured, is the Dragon-pattern suit. According to the Chamber Auxiliary, Dragon armour was first forged for an elderly Crusader whose body was beginning to fail him with age. Upon the Triumvirate's decision that such a priceless asset should not be forced to stay off the battlefield, the Order's artificers began work on a special powered suit of armor that would let a man physically infirm fight like he was in the prime of his life. What gave the result of this project the name Dragon armour is the fact that this first wearer was one of the Knights Hospitaller and favored the flamethrower in battle. Rather than design a suit that would simply carry an external weapon, the Chamber Auxiliary integrated the fuel tanks and pressurized tubing necessary for the weapon into the suit itself, with nozzles in the gauntlets and helmet. As a result, the rare few Hospitallers who have been granted Dragon armour have been forced to shave their beards and moustaches, if any, before donning the armour - detractors of the Hospitallers sometimes accuse them of spitting fire, and this accusation becomes rather more literal in the case of the most revered heroes among their order. Dominion Gauntlet The crossbow, ballista, and cheiroballista all essentially attempt to do the same thing: use mechanical assistance to draw a bowstring with greater force than human muscle can accomplish alone. For the world outside the Order, this line of inquiry became obsolete with the invention of gunpowder. The Chamber Epistolary of the Order of the Talon, however, demurs, and during the War of the Austrian Succession began issuing a new innovation to the most trusted archers in the Order's service. Derived from the great clockwork armor suits and called the Dominion Gauntlet, this contraption covers the arm up to the elbow and uses a series of clockwork mechanisms to effectively augment the wearer's strength. While this would be an impressive enough aid to any archer by itself, the Dominion Gauntlet is traditionally gifted alongside a new Talon Steel longbow that no human could hope to draw without the Gauntlet's aid. Thermobaric Jumpjets The Knights Templar are among the most traditional of the Talon's forces. Their equipment is that of the knights of old: plate armour, swords, shields--and jetpacks. As much of an oddity as it is, the Templar Order's Knights, Initiates, and Lords are all trained and equipped with thermobaric jetpacks that allow them to fly short distances through the air (the Allies would classify these as "jumpjets", as they are incapable of sustained flight). Their history is a complex one; according to legend, a craftsman first fabricated these devices when a cell of templars was besieged within a fortress without hope of escape. The craftsman used the power of the Order's secret thermobaric powder to create back-mounted thrusters that allowed the trapped Templars to fly over the walls of the fortress and their enemies, escaping to fight another day. Whether the story is true or not, the thermobaric jumpjet is near-ubiquitous within the Templars, who closely guard the secret to their construction. The system the Templars use is somewhat crude, but effective nonetheless. A measured amount of thermobaric powder is packed into the sealed end of one or two thick Talon Steel cylinders. A separate container of compressed air is stored directly above the powder. The end of the cylinder contains a rotating fan and the pilot light. When the knight activates his jumpjet, the compressed air sends a blast of thermobaric powder down the cylinder and through the fan, focusing it into a continuous and coherent stream. The pilot light ignites the air and powder mixture, turning it into a directed explosion. Depending on the size of the jumpjet and the number of cylinders used, one can send a fully-plate armoured man flying up to several hundred metres, which grants the Templars a degree of mobility. However, the thermobaric jumpjet can only be used by knights of their order; the plate armour they wear is essential to protect the wearer from the intense heat of the jumpjet. Templar armour is also equipped with ankle braces to keep the wearer from spraining or breaking anything on landing. Category:Technology Category:Guns